Time Correction Device, Timepiece Having a Time Correction Device, and Time Correction Method

Abstract

A time correction device has a reception unit that receives satellite signals transmitted from positioning information satellites orbiting the Earth; a time correction information storage unit that stores time correction information for correcting time information produced by a time information generating unit; and a time information correction unit for correcting the time information based on the time correction information. The satellite signals are transmitted by individual positioning information satellites, and contain a time-related information part denoting time-related information that is kept by each satellite, and a satellite information part denoting satellite information other than the time-related information. The time correction information is generated based on the time-related information. The reception unit receives the satellite signal during the signal period in which the time-related information part can be received, and does not receive the satellite signal during the signal period in which the satellite information part can be received.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]Japanese Patent application No. 2006-208593 is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.BACKGROUND[0002]1. Field of Invention[0003]The present invention relates to a time correction device for setting the time based on a signal from a positioning satellite such as a GPS satellite, to a timepiece having the time correction device, and to a method of correcting the time.[0004]2. Description of the Related Art[0005]The Global Position System (GPS), which is a system enabling a receiving device to determine its own position, uses satellites (GPS satellites) that each orbit the Earth on a specific path and have an on-board atomic clock. Each GPS satellite therefore keeps time (GPS time) with extremely high precision.[0006]In order for a receiver (GPS receiver) that receives a signal from a GPS satellite to get the time information transmitted from the GPS satellite, and more particularly to get time information that is precise to at le...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0012]To solve these problems, a time correction device, a timepiece device having the time correction device, and a time correction method according to the present invention enable setting the time with high precision without high power consumption even when very little power is required.

Problems solved by technology

The receiver power must remain on during TOW signal reception, and this increases power consumption.

Incorporating a receiver with such high power consumption in a timepiece or similar device with extremely low power requirements is thus impractical, and such a receiver therefore cannot be used to set the time with high precision in a timepiece such as a wristwatch or other similarly small electronic device.

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